Mathilda white 2019

For Michel Chapoutier , Australia was an intuition. In 1997, she fell in love at first sight. A pioneering spirit, Michel sets out to discover the terroirs of the oldest continent, with one idea in mind: to cultivate Rhone grape varieties in Australia . Then begins a long work of discovery, observation and a real affection for this country. On this very particular terroir, he grows ungrafted vines from 19th century clonal selections, imported from Europe before the ravages of phylloxera. With a significant advantage: in Australia, the harvest is done in the French spring. An ideal calendar. In the south-east of the Australian continent, the state of Victoria offers numerous climates, alternating dry periods and monsoon. And other singularities: kangaroos moving in groups of 200 in the vineyards, cockatoos attracted by red grapes, fires... We had to react: rigorous water management, installation of protective nets on the vines… Australia is truly another world.

The harvest is done manually when ripe, while avoiding over-ripening. The vines grow on soils made from red ferruginous clays on shale. The grapes are destemmed and delicately pressed. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats. The wine is then aged on its lees for 5 months in stainless steel vats. This wine is expressed through aromas of white peach , quince , pear , apricot , acacia flowers , beeswax , citrus zest , pineapple and gunflint . The palate is straight and aromatic, with lovely substance.

Australia began producing wine more than two centuries ago. This has resulted in a country rich in old vines, multi-generational winemaking families and an ingrained knowledge and respect for craftsmanship. Add to that a thirst to explore and innovate, a fearless attitude and a diverse notebook of 65 wine regions in many climates, and you have the makings of an extraordinary wine country unlike any other. Australia burst into export markets in the 1980s and since then has been providing the world with vibrant, fruity and exceptional value wines. Until the late 1990s and early 2000s, Australian wine history was dominated by examples of Shiraz, Grenache and overly concentrated red blends. Between these two extremes lies the diversity of Australia's offering of high quality and regional wines that has always existed. Australian viticulture is mainly concentrated on the southern oceanic edge where conditions are cooler. There are four main wine regions located around major cities. Western Australia around Perth, South Australia around Adelaide, Victoria around Melbourne and New South Wales around Sydney. The country is one of the largest wine producers in the world, and was the 4th largest exporter in the world in 2011. This recent development now makes Australia one of the most prominent countries for the quality of its wines. You can taste Australian wines all over the country. Each Australian region has its own grape varieties. Australian wines are defined by their grape variety, unlike French wines which are defined by their terroir.